September 5th, 2008:

SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) wants the public to vote – for their favourite Canadian song.

SOCAN announced the Canadian songs nominated for the third annual ECHO Songwriting Prize, a prize that highlights and celebrates the songwriting talents of some of the best independent, up-and-coming songwriters in Canada.

During the nomination process, panelists each nominated three songs and from there they reviewed these songs and, using a point-value system, determined the five songs to present to the public for voting.

“Given the uncertainty of arts funding these days, it is refreshing to know that there are organizations like SOCAN that fight for performers’ rights while continuing to support the development of emerging music creators. The ECHO Prize is a fine example of this. Not only does it support up-and-coming songwriters but it involves the Canadian public and helps turn people on to music that they may not hear on commercial radio,” says Daniel Seligman of Pop Montreal.

The Prix de la chanson ECHO, celebrating the songwriting talents of some of the best independent, up-and-coming Francophone songwriters in Canada, is launching concurrently.

SOCAN is the Canadian copyright collective for the communication and performance of musical works. It administer the rights on behalf of its members (composers, lyricists, songwriters and their publishers) and those of affiliated international organizations by licensing the use of the music in Canada.

The fees collected are distributed as royalties to members and to affiliated organizations throughout the world. SOCAN also distributes royalties received from those organizations to members for the use of their music worldwide.

SOCAN has offices in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Dartmouth.

Make a point to visit the site, vote and support your Canadian songwriters! May the Muse be with them all… (even if, somehow and inexplicably, I didn’t make the finalists cut.)